Leaves with sculptural weight
Broad blades curve strongly, creating a substantial rosette with deep shadow.
Agave 'ferox' 13cm
Normal price
€18,00
What does the legal guarantee mean for plants?
The legal guarantee concerns the plant’s conformity at delivery. It is not a guarantee of survival or growth for two years. Each issue is assessed taking into account the nature of the plant, its care and the conditions in which it is kept. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.
Agave 'ferox'
Minimal, spiny and entirely uninterested in hugs 😏
- Asparagaceae
- Broad succulent leaves
- Powerful marginal teeth
- Large architectural rosette
- Mexican botanical variety
Agave 'ferox' presents agave form at its most forceful: broad weighty leaves open into a substantial rosette, with deeply undulating margins and strong dark teeth tracing every curve. Its grey-green mass already feels mature and imposing at a young size, like a precise architectural model of the adult plant.
It is neither discreet nor delicate; it is an authentic Mexican statement with weight, history and a commanding silhouette. Collector value lies in its true botanical identity and slow progression towards a monumental rosette, making it an outstanding choice for a terrace, entrance or xerophytic garden needing a clear focal point.
What makes it stand out
Three defining details that turn its botanical identity into real presence for a collection and interior.
Margins worthy of ferox
Large marginal teeth and a powerful terminal spine explain the epithet meaning fierce or strong.
An authentic botanical variety
It is not a trade cultivar but a recognised botanical variety within Agave salmiana.
Why you’ll love it: it offers genuine Mexican botanical identity, monumental potential and one of the strongest silhouettes in the genus.
In your spacePlacement & plant pairingsWhere it looks best and which plants complement it
Where it looks its best
Give it a standalone position in weighty terracotta, concrete or stone, well away from routes. A low side view emphasises teeth and curvature, while a pale mineral finish keeps the composition disciplined.
Plants that complement it
Pair it with plants that genuinely share its light, substrate and seasonal rhythm. Separate pots keep care precise for each one.
- Dasylirion wheeleri — fine radial movement against the broad leaves.
- Echinocactus grusonii — a golden sphere beside the grey-green mass.
- Yucca rostrata — an upright trunk and blue crown for a large architectural display.
Care at a glance
Light
Full sun to very intense brightness after gradual acclimation.
Watering
Water deeply only after the entire mix is dry, much less in cool weather.
Large botanical agave
Open airflow, warm growth and protection of young potted plants from frost and cold rain.
Pets & children
Very sharp teeth and irritating sap; wear gloves and eye protection and keep away from traffic.
For this plant
Substrate & nutrition
Detailed careComplete care guideLight, drying cycle, climate, substrate and feeding in detail
Light and position
Provide very intense brightness and several hours of sun, increasing exposure gradually after greenhouse conditions or winter. This keeps the rosette compact and its colouring clean.
Correct watering
Wait until the entire mix is dry and the pot feels distinctly lighter. Water deeply at the base, let excess drain freely and do not repeat while cool moisture remains lower down.
Airflow and humidity
Open airflow limits stagnant dampness between the leaves and around the crown. Avoid misting and positions where rain or irrigation sits in the centre for many hours.
Temperature and seasonal rhythm
Active growth strengthens with warmth and long days. Growth slows in cool weather, so reduce moisture sharply and protect the rosette from frost and prolonged cold rain.
Substrate
Use a highly free-draining cactus and succulent mix with plenty of pumice, lava or another mineral component. Keep the crown above the surface and ensure the pot has clear drainage holes.
Feeding, repotting and handling
After repotting, wait for active growth to resume. In the warm season use diluted Cactus & Succulent Focus as directed, never during dry or cool dormancy; wear gloves around sharp margins.
Botanical identityIdentity & natural originAccepted name, taxonomic history and natural or cultivated provenance
An accepted botanical variety
Kew accepts Agave salmiana var. ferox (K.Koch) Gentry, a combination published in 1982.
Agave ferox is a synonym
Karl Koch published Agave ferox in 1860. That name is now a homotypic synonym of the accepted variety.
From Oaxaca to Veracruz
Its native range extends from north-western Oaxaca to eastern Veracruz in Mexico, within a subtropical biome.
From natural habitat to care: The large rosette stores moisture in long-lived leaves, while undulating margins and mineral ground shed rainfall rapidly. In a pot this requires abundant sun, free drainage and safe space for future expansion.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScientific facts nobody asked forBotanical detail for anyone who wants to know what lies behind the plant’s appearance
Ferox means fierce or strong
The Latin epithet refers to the exceptionally armed rosette, not to a different genus.
Bud imprints are natural
Teeth from neighbouring leaves can leave pressure marks on the epidermis while the rosette remains tightly folded.
Flowering is monocarpic
At great age it produces an imposing flower stalk, and the main rosette completes its life cycle after flowering.
Teeth are leaf-margin structures
Marginal spines arise from hardened leaf tissue, not from areoles as in cacti.
Frequently asked questions
Useful answers about light, watering, seasonal rhythm and the plant’s correct identity.
01Is it the same as Agave ferox?
Yes. Agave ferox is the older name now placed as Agave salmiana var. ferox.
02How large can it become?
It is a large agave and can develop a very broad, heavy rosette over time. Allow far more space than its current pot suggests.
03When does it need watering?
Water only after the mix is dry to the bottom and the pot feels distinctly light.
04What light does it need?
It needs very intense brightness and several hours of direct sun, always introduced gradually.
05What changes with the seasons?
It grows in warmth, slows in cool weather and stays much drier then. Protect it from frost and cold rain.
06Is it suitable beside an entrance?
Only with generous clearance from movement. Teeth and the terminal spine can cause serious injury, and the sap may irritate.
Shop the look
Lovely apart. Irresistible together.
Choose your pairing
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Your selected lookPlant + pot €34,00 EUR
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Every order is prepared with care so your plant arrives upright, secure and safe.
Individual protection
Plants in pots with a capacity of 3 litres or more are placed in individual boxes that hold the pot securely and reduce the risk of tipping over.
Sturdy packaging
We use reinforced cardboard designed to protect against impacts and vibration during transport.